Liquid fuel vaporizer



April 17, 1945'. x I. w. WEPPLQ 2,373,867

LIQUID FUEL VAPORIZER Filed May 12, 1944 2 Sfieets-Sheet 1 April l7 1945. I. W.IWEPPLO 2,373,867

LIQUID FUEL VAPORI ZER Filed May 12, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. kfwdofl W ATTORNEY? Patented Apr. 19 45 UNITED LIQUID FUEL varoarzca Isaac W. Wepplo, Minneapolis, Minn. Application May 12, 1944, Serlal No. 535,293

i 4 Claims. (01. 43-480) 7 K '--'Ifhis invention relates to fuel Vaporizers for internal'combustion engines; P p

A- general object of the invention is to provide afuel vaporizer which will more thoroughly mix fuel and air to providea more highly-combustible and consequently more efficient fuel mixture.

Another object of the-invention is to provide a fliel vaporizer having an'air' inlet auxiliary to the normal carburetor air'inlet wherein means is provided for effectively controlling the auxiliary supply in direct response to engine intake pressures which vary in accordance with the amount or work being done by the engine.

I In my prior patents, No. 2,010,973, issued Augus 13, 1935, entitled "Gasoline vaporizer and No;

2,318,824, issued May 11-,-1943,entitled Fuel vaporizer I have disclosed devices of, a generally similar type. In "the'prior patent there is disclosed anauxiliary air control valve ofball shape and in thelater patent the control valve isin the form of a generally cylindrical piston...

The present invention contemplateslthe use of a piston-type auxiliary air control valve but." the valve is formed to produce different capacities of auxiliary air flow depending uponthe amount ofv reducedintake pressure,and Iprovide means'for.

of .the invention will-more-fully appear from the following description made in connection with the In Figure i there is Shown the upper portion of an internal combustion engine Ill upon which is mounted an intake manifold II which is connected with a carburetor l2 having an air cleaner l3. The lower portion of the carburetor l2 includes a pipe I4 having a butterfly valve l5 therein. The lower end of the pipe I4 is provided with a flange 16. The central portionof the intake manifold H includes a short pipe section I! having a flange l8 similar to the flange ii at the lower end of the pipe section H. The vaporizer body I3 is interposed, between the flanges l6 and I1 and the unit is connectedby nutted bolts which extend through the flanges l6 and I8 and lie in notches 2| formed in the vaporizer body [3. I 1

As best shown in Figure 8 the vaporizer body 19. defines a chamber 22 within which is mounted I a stationary .sleeve 23 which is secured, against rotation by a pin'24, the latter beingvanchored in a portion of the vaporizer body. Thesleeve 23 extends to the right through the vaporizer body and some distance outwardlytherefrom.

Within'the stationary sleeve 23 ismounted can innersleeve 25 which is rotatable relative to the stationary sleeve 23, its limit of rotation being determined by aslot' 26 in said sleeve 25 which,

is adapted to receive the pin extending through the stationary sleeve 23. Thestationary sleeve 23 is provided with a plurality of apertures 21 'in its upper side which are adapted to register accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts throughoutthe views, and, in which: I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the upper portion of an internal combustion engine;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view .of

porizer; 1

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectionalview through the vaporizer; H

Figure 4- is a section taken approximately on the lined-.4 of Figure 2; I V l Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the control valve in an intermediate position thereof; a I x Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view ShOW-e ing the control valve in a completely open position;

Figure 7 is a the line 1-1 of Figured; 1

the, va

with an aperture 28 formed in the inner rotatable sleeve 25 when said latter sleeveis rotated to tures 23 which are adaptedto register with apertures 30 formed. in the inner sleeve 25. The

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view of the auxiliary innersleeve 25 canbe rotated or oscillated to bring its apertures 23 and 30 into and outcf re istration with the apertures 21 and 29. in the a seating member adapted to contacts. vave seat I l 36 which is annularvin shape and secured inthe' section taken approximately on.

valve set 36 and the larger reduced portion 33 is shown in Figures .3 and 5 to be spaced inwardly imm the interior ofthevalve seat 3 6,, y a I 42 therethrough, as best shown in Figure 3; The

left hand end of the plunger is provided with a pair of notches 44 for a purpose to be described below. The right hand end of the tubular member 40 is closed, as best shown in Figure 3, and mounted in said member 40 int, compression spring 45 which is adapted tobear against the left hand end of the plunger 4| to yieldably hold it in the position shown in Figure 3. However, pressure against the left hand end of the plunger 4| will permit the same tomove into the tubular member 40 against th pressure of the spring The stationary sleeve 23, at the point where it extends out of the vaporizer body It, is provided with a plurality of apertures 46. A protective casing 41 surrounds the stationary sleeve 23 adjacent the openings 46 and said casing 41 is provided'with a short air inlet tube 48.

Extending into the left from the piston 3| is "a stem 49- and upon the left hand end of the stem is a circular head 50 which is adapted to fit the inner rotary sleeve 25 in rather closely spaced relation thereto. The left hand end of the inner sleeve 25 is open and provided with a cover screen 5| to serve as an additional air inlet for the inner sleeve 25. r t

The chamber 22 formed by the vaporizer body;

l9 isprovided with an inverted U-shaped screen 52 extending around and beneath the sleeves .23

also slants downwardly in the direction of flow of air and'fuel from the carburetor |2.

The inner sleeve 25 is shown to extend outwardly-to the left of the vaporizer body and tothis sleeve is secured a lever 56- having-a link tion.

51 connecting it to alever 58, the latter forming part of the throttle control-mechanism. As

shown in'Figure '1- the throttle lever- 58 is con-- nected to the butterfly valve -|5 for reparation thereof. I

The tubular member 45 which extends outwardly from the right hand end of the stationary outer sleeve 23 has connected thereto apiece of tubing 59 which is adapted to be connected can be maintained asa moreor less'self-com tained unit. a

In my preceding patents it-was explained that when the engine'is idling-the throttle valve |5 will'be approximately in the-position shown in Fig'urei. At such position o f -the-throttle valvethe inner sleeve 25 will =be-turnedto bring its openings 28 and 30 out of registration with the openings 21 and 29 in the stationary outer sleeve 23. Consequently, there is no flow communication between the interior of the inner sleeve 25 and the interior of the chamber 22 in the vaporizer body I9, said chamber 22 forming a part of the intake flow passage from the carburetor into the intake manifold M. The piston 3| will then be in the position shown in Figure 3 with the auxiliary air inlet opening 46 closed by said piston since it is then in contact with the valve seat 36 in the interior of the stationary tube 23. .,.When the throttle or butterfly valve I5 is opened by actuation of the accelerator panel the inner sleeve 25 will be rotated to a proportionate degree and bring the complementary openings of the outer sleeves 23 and 25 into partial registra- If the engine is picking up speed or is laboring under an initial load there will be a relatively low vacuum in the intake manifold and the'intake suction through theconduit 59 and plunger 42 will cause the piston 3| to move slightlyto the right against the action of the compression spring 39. This will place the piston 3| in approximately the position shown in Figure 5. In such position the shoulder 35 on the piston 3| is shown spaced from the valve seat 36 and the piston portion 33 will admit a flow of air through the auxiliary intake 48 and inlet opening 46 past the valve seat and piston and into the inner sleeve 25. Air is then exhausted from the sleeve 25 through its openings 26 and 30 and through the openings 21 and 29 in the outer s1eeve23 so. that a'blast of air is directed into the mixtureof air and fuel coming down past the butterfly valve l5. When the engine has increasedein speed and the burden on the engine has been somewhat relieved the pressure in the intake manifold will be reduced and the increased reduction of pressure will cause the piston 3| to push the plunger 4| to the right against the action of the smaller compression spring 45. An extreme position under high vacuum conditions inthe intake manifold is indicated in Figure '6 where the piston 3| has moved entirely away fromwand out of the annular valve seat 36, thus leaving :a practically unobstructed air flow passage -from the auxiliary air intake 46 through the inlet openings 46 and thencethrough the inner sleeve 25. -From there, of course, the .air continues to flow into the chamber 22 for a high pressure "agitation and mixture with the fuel and air passing downwardly from the carburetor.

The two diameters of the head portion of the piston 3|, functioning as described above, provide low and high pressure vacuum adjustments to properly control the incoming flow of auxiliary air through the auxiliary intake 48. Under normal conditions of placing the vehicle in motion the piston will move only until it contacts the left hand end of the .plunger 4| and admit only a 'limitedamount: of auxiliary air. If too much air is admitted at this time the mixture will'become too 1ean.. However, when the'vehicle has picked upspeed and the load on the engine is decreased the intake pressure will drop and admit more air with the smaller diameter of the piston 3| lying concentrically inwardly .of the valve seat 36. It is this variable stage positioning of the piston 4| to produce a. reduced and then an increased auxiliary air flow as the" vacuum in the intake manifold increases which. distinguishes the present invention from the structure disclosed in myv prior Patent No. 2,318,824., :In combination with the two diameters of the piston the springst39 demarcation between the setting of what I term the low vacuum position and the high vacuum;

position.

The screens 52 and 53 which are shown in the chamber 22 were also disclosed in'my above mentioned prior patent as well as the head 50 on the stem 49 which is adapted to admit additional air from the left hand air inlet when there is a high vacuum in the intake manifold.

Attention is called to the baffles 54 and 55 in the 2 upper portion of the vaporizer body l9. As viewed in Figure 4 the throttle or butterfly valve 15 will I swing in a counterclockwise direction as it opens. This causes the majority of the air and partially vaporized liquid fuel to pass down the left hand side of the pipe l5 as viewed in Figure 4 so that it will be directed against the baiiie 54. The air is traveling at a greater rate than the small droplets of liquid. .The liquid will strike the baflle 54 and glance outwardly to the right whereupon it will be picked upby the faster moving stream of air r and thrown against the lower baflle 55 with considerable velocity. These baiiles in addition to the screens 52 and 53 assist materially in breaking up the liquid into even finer droplets or particles so'that therewill be a highlyefilcientand complete vaporization and mixture of the liquid fuel with the air coming downward from the. carburetor and the auxiliary air which is directed outwardly into the chamber 22 through the stationary sleeve outlets 21 and 29.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention. What I claim is: 1. A fuel vaporizer for internal combustion en gines adapted for use in the intake passage of the engine between the carburetor and the intake manifold thereof comprising, a casing providing a chamber to be located between said carburetor and intake manifold and having an inlet and anoutlet adapted for communication with said carburetor and manifold respectively, a sleeve 'ex-,

tending into said chamber and having an air outlet aperture communicating with'the interior of said chamber and also having an air inlet exteriorly of said chamber and in communication withsaid sleeve outlet, a valve seat in said sleeve between said inlet and outlet, a valve in said 2,373,867 and 45 function to provide' a definite line of sleeve movabletoward and away from said seat a to increase and decrease air flowv past said valve, a first spring yieldably urging said valve toward I said seat during initial movement of said valve 5 from said'seat, a second spring movable by said being annular in shape, said valve'having a seat engaging portion and a plug portion extending into said seat portion, said plug portion having portions of different diameters to vary the air flow capacity of said valve in different positions thereof, and said plug portion beingsmaller at its end remote from its seat engaging portion.

4. A fuel vaporizer for internal combustion engines adapted for use in the intake passageof the engine between the carburetor and the intake manifold thereof comprising, a casing providing I a chamber to be located between said carburetor and said intake manifold and having an inlet and an outlet adapted for communication with said carburetor and manifold respectively, a sleeve extending into said chamber and having an air outlet aperture communicating with the interior of said chamber and also having an air inlet exteriorly of said chamber and in communication with said sleeve outlet, a valve seat in said sleeve 4 between said inlet and outlet, a valve in said sleeve movable toward and away from said seat to increase and decrease air flow 'past said valve,

readily yieldable spring means urging said valve toward said'seat during initial movement of said valve from said seat, less readily yieldable spring means movable by said valve'uponpredetermined movementof the valve, and a reduced pressure operating connection to said valve, said operating connection being adapted for connection with reduced pressure in said intake of said engine to move said valve against said spring means.

Y ISAAC W. WEPPLO.

.3. The structure in claim 1 and said sleeve 

